Bead-chain connecter



June 17, 1930. J. w. w. HOLDEN BEAD CHAIN CONNECTER Filed Nov. 10, 1928 liiiorweg Patented June 17, 1930 UNITE TAT ATENT FFICE BEAD-GI-IAIN GONNECTER Application filed November 10, 1928. Serial No. 318,576.

My invention relates as a new article of manufacture to a connecter for the end of a string of beads.

Heretofore beads strung upon a flexible member or filament consisting of a chain I) have become spaced from each other after some use, due to the gradual expansion of the chain. When this occurred it was necessary to expand a link of the filament and next engage the enlarged link with the ring hook of the terminal spring ring or clasp.

The enlargement of the link and its reinterengagement was work requiring patience, skill, and usually. implements not available for home use.

When the beads were strung upon a textile or silk filament or string the latter not only stretched, and caused resultant spacing of the beads, but the terminal knot of the filament was liable to unravel. To avoid this it was necessary to draw the filament through the hook ring of the clasp and back through about four of the beads before tyingthe knot. V The essential objects of my invention are to overcome the above disadvantages incident to the stringing of beads upon either chain or string filaments; to secure the bead series to the filament automatically; to, facilitate and speed the securing operation; to enable restringing of the beads with a minimum of effort; and to attain these ends in a simple, solde-rless, and inexpensive structure of a single piece.

To the above ends essentially my invention consists of such steps and such a succession of steps, and in such mechanical elements and combinations of elements as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

40 In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification Figure 1' is a side elevation, partially in fragmentary ection of a string of beads embodying my invention, r

4;"; Figure 2, an end view of a blank from which one of the connecters is ultimately formed,

Figure 3, a longitudinal section of the same in initial position contingous to an end bead of the series, with a chain filament initially passed therethrough,

Figure 4, a similar section of the connecter in second position of engagement, and prior to cutting away the superfluous links, and including the needle, 7

Figure 5, a similar section of the con necter after the removal of the superfluous links and after bending, V

Figure 6, a plan view of the finally bent connecter and of the adjacent portion of the string of beads, and

Figure 7, a longitudinal transverse section of a portion of a string of beads show ing my connecter engaging a textile string filament. V 7

Like reference characters indicate parts throughout the views.

As herein illustrated 12 represents perforated ornaments of any usual preferred form or construction and hereinafter referred to as beads, having the usual ,diametrically disposed holes or perforations 13 for the threading member or filament 1a which in this case consists of a chain composed of links 16. V V

Adjacent the. opposite end beads of the string are connect-ers l7 and 18, each identical in structure, and each engaged with the filament at or near the ends of the latter. Each connecter is cut and bent by suitable dies from a thin sheet of pliable metal. As initially produced it is, as shown like 65 in Figure 2, a strip centrally transversely bent into an obtusely triangular or V form comprlsing two oblong arms 20 and 21 of equal length dlverging from the intermediate bend 22. a The free end portions of the arms are provlded with holes 23 and 24 respectively of greater dimensions than the maximum diameter of the filament. Intero mediate the holes and the bend the arms are preferably provided with slight concavities 26. Extending from the hole 24: to a point slightly beyond the bend 22 is a centrally disposed longitudinal slot 27 of less width than the maximum diameter of the filament. There is an integral prong or projection 29 centrally of the arm adjacent the hole 23.

To thread a string of beads the connecter 17 is first bent into final form and into engagement with one end of the filament 1% in a manner which will be hereinafter made apparent. To the other end of the filament is preferably attached a metallic needle 31 formed by intertwining the arms 32 of a folded length of pliable wire to form a shank 33 after the wire has been partially passed through the end link of the filament and folded to form a receiving loop or eye 35, as shown in Figure 4. The needle and filament is now passed through the series of beads until the connecter 17 abuts against one end bead to form a temporary anchor. The member 18 is next applied thus. The outer face of the arm 21 is placed snugly against the end bead with its opening 24 in registration with the perforation 13 of the latter, and the filament then threaded therethrough as shown in Figure 3. The member 18 is next simultaneously moved transversely of the bead and tilted to permit a certain link 37 to slide edgewise along the slot 27 to the apex of said member into the relative position shown in Figure 1, where the member 18 is temporarily retained by the next adjacent link which is disposed at right angles to the slot 27 and therefore not passable through the slot, thus holding all the beads upon the filament tightly together. This is a desideratum in the stringing operation. While the beads are thus locked the superfluous links of the filament are cut oti by a stroke of scissors or other implement, leaving but one, or possibly more, links beyond the member 18. The arms 20 and 21 are next compressed bringing the free end portions of the arms face to face with the holes 23 and 2-1 in registration with each other, and forming an end fold 22, adjacent which the concavities 26 of the arms afford ample space for the terminal link 38 of the filament, as shown in Figure 5. In the folded or final position of the eonnecter the project-ion 29, when present, enters the slot 27. The method of engaging the connecter 17 is the same as that described above except that the absence of any superfluous links makes the cutting step unnecessary.

In completing a. string of beads it is only necessary to mount upon either the connecter 17 or 18 a clasp or the like, which in this case consists of the usual hollow jump ring or spring ring body 12 closed by the spring pressed bolt 44.- and having the usual lateral pliable hook ring 46 which engages the con necter 18 through the opening formed by the holes 23 and 2 1. To clasp the string, the outer end of the connecter 17 is engaged with the jump ring 42 which passes loosely through the opening formed by the holes 23 and 24.

In Figure 7 is fragmentarily shown a modified form of my invention which possesses some but not all the advantages inherent in the form already described. In the modified form a thread 13 is employed as a filament instead of the chain 141 and is threaded by the needle 31 through the beads. The ends of the filament 18 have knots 50 formed thereon, and, like the links 38, form terminal enlargements enclosed by the connecters.

It. will be observed that the connecters perform the functions of clamps as well as connecting elements.

I claim 1. A connecter for a bead series comprising two arms disposed face to face connected at their inner ends by a fold and provided at their outer ends with holes registering with each other, one of said arms and the fold being provided with a longitudinal slot communicating with the hole in the last mentioned arm.

2. A connector for a bead series comprising two arms and a fold integral with the inner ends of the arms, said arms being provided with internal concavities near the fold, and with holes near their outer ends registering with each other, one of said arms being provided with a longitudinal slot ex tending to the hole in the last mentioned arm.

3. A connecter for a bead series comprising two substantially parallel arms connected at their inner ends, said arms being provided near their outer ends with holes in registration with each other, one of said arms being provided with a longitudinal slot connnunicating with its hole, and a projection upon the other arm adapted to extend into said slot.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a blank for a clamping connecter for beads, comprising an angularly bent strip of pliable material comprising radial arms extending from the bent portion of the strip and provided with oppositely disposed holes in the free ends of the blank, and provided with oppositely disposed concavities between the holes and the bent portion, one of said arms being provided with a longitudinal slotextending from its hole, and the other arm being provided with an inturned projection adjacent its hole.

5. In an article of the class described wherein a series of beads provided with transverse perforations are arranged upon a pliant ligament, the combination with said ligament, of a connecter for the ends of said ligament, the said connecter comprising two arms disposed face to face and connected at one end by a fold and at the other ends pro- 5 vided with registering holes, said arms being folda'ble toward each other and one provided with a slot.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 in which the other arm is provided with a pro- 10 jection cooperable with said slot.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

JOHN W. W. HOLDEN. 

